Home Furnishings Retailershttp://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/topical/retailing/home-furnishings-retailers
enRetail Road Trip: Washington, D.C.http://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/retail-road-trip-washington-dc
<span>Retail Road Trip: Washington, D.C.</span>
<span><span lang="" about="http://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/user/826" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">kcaron</span></span>
<span>Wed, 05/15/2019 - 16:57</span>
<div class="field-type-text_with_summary"><h2>Hudson & Crane</h2>
<p>Before anything can be said about Washington, D.C.-based Hudson & Crane, one distinction must be made. Hudson & Crane is an<a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/4-tips-strengthening-interior-design-contracts" target="_blank"> interior design firm</a> with a brick-and-mortar showroom. That’s an important fact to co-owners Jaye Langmaid and Lyric Turner.</p>
<p>A newcomer to the D.C. scene, Hudson & Crane opened in 2014 north of Dupont Circle. At just under 3,000 square feet, the store has changed its look over the last five years, and as they’ve gotten to know their customers and their habits, Langmaid and Turner kept their business nimble, making changes to accommodate customer tastes.</p>
<figure role="group">
<img alt="Hudson & Crane couch" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f3ce1ecb-8051-40bc-ba25-fbdfe55ea918" height="362" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/Hudson-%26-Crane-couch.JPG" width="542" />
<figcaption>Hudson & Crane’s design business may be the focus, but its showroom serves to build relationships with clients who may need a sofa now and a designer a few years down the line.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Take, for example, their merchandising. A year ago, the store nearly burst at the seams with more decorative accessories and decor, but Turner said keeping up with merchandising became overwhelming.</p>
<p>“Merchandising was almost a full-time job for one staff member,” she explains, “so with a smaller staff, we’re not as able to devote that much time to it.”</p>
<p>The strategy appears to have worked. The store feels warm and inviting with plenty of comfy sofas, chairs, soft throws and chunky pillows. Much of the product — best brands include Four Hands, Universal Furniture and American Leather — leans more modern in terms of aesthetic, but little pops of glam — a skull accessory here and there and starburst chandeliers — dot the room. Decor and accessories can still be found. In fact, Langmaid and Turner say above everything, candles still sell the best in store.</p>
<p>“Candles will always stick around,” Langmaid jokes.</p>
<p>Langmaid and Turner first met 10 years ago while working for the same home staging company. Then, as Turner says, “we got this wacky idea to open up a design studio,” and Hudson & Crane was born.</p>
<p>So why the distinction of being a design firm with a brick-and-mortar studio rather than a showroom with interior design services? It comes down to service and <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/what-2018-taught-us-about-consumers-and-amazon" target="_blank">the way customers buy home furnishings</a> nowadays.</p>
<p>“We’re in the age of Amazon Prime where everybody expects to get everything faster and cheaper,” Langmaid explains. “They’re always doing a direct price comparison online, and we don’t want to be thought of as retail because retail always has competition online whereas service is harder to find competition online.”</p>
<h4><strong>Design Levels</strong></h4>
<p>With this new consumer mindset, Langmaid and Turner set out to create an experience-based, service-first design model that targets clients with a serious interest in good design. That’s always been their goal, but like any good business owners, they’ve adapted their business model to hit that dollar volume needed to stay in business. The D.C. Metro area is not a forgiving market, so if something in their model isn’t working, Langmaid and Turner have no problem trying something new.</p>
<p>That’s how they created their design service levels: Design Intervention and Design Salvation. Clients at the Intervention level already have their favorite furniture pieces for the most part, but they’re not sure how to put the room together. With this service, the client will have a Hudson & Crane designer’s attention for a full 90 minutes, and they can pepper the designer with as many questions as they want about anything in the home. Then the designer leaves, and the client can then decide where furniture should go and what else he or she should purchase. Clients pay a fee for this service, and Turner says those clients many end up coming back in another six months or so once they’ve decided on what they want.</p>
<p><img alt="Hudson & Crane lighting" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="39655989-026e-47e4-82ac-b0d3b9617730" height="653" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/Hudson-%26-Crane-lighting_0.JPG" width="435" /></p>
<p>The Salvation service covers everything. Clients start with a homework assignment to help the designer and the client “speak the same design language,” as Turner says. Modern doesn’t always mean the same thing to everyone, so the homework assignment gets everyone on the same page. Then the client has a meeting with the designer for up to two hours to dive into the client’s taste, style, vision and budget. After the designer completes a customized design concept, the client is invited to the studio and presented with the final plan and furniture recommendations.</p>
<p>Both services emphasize just that — stellar service — but the <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/3-tips-feeling-more-confident-your-interior-design-business" target="_blank">design fee payment</a> method makes it possible. With both services, clients do not have to purchase from Hudson & Crane. Instead, Salvation clients receive a 15 percent discount on any furniture purchased through the store. It may sound counterintuitive, but it takes the pressure off Langmaid and Turner.</p>
<p>Like any other showroom in the U.S., Hudson & Crane faces competition from Amazon and other big-box retailers, and Langmaid and Turner have had customers shop around them online. In previous versions of their design service levels, clients paid a set amount upfront, but when they bought $5,000 worth of furniture from Hudson & Crane, part of the money invested upfront went towards that purchase. Langmaid and Turner soon noticed a pattern where clients would spend just enough to get their credit back and then move on to other vendors. The 15-percent-off model, however, makes clients feel like they’re getting a good deal. </p>
<p>“We’re not losing our shirt on doing all this design work up front and then crossing our fingers and saying ‘I really hope they buy something,’” Langmaid explains.</p>
<p>This new version of Hudson & Crane’s design services launched late last summer, so Langmaid and Turner can’t say for sure how successful it has been just yet. They may still tweak it in the future, but for now, feedback has been positive and clients seem to like the process.</p>
<h4><strong>Adapting to the Market</strong></h4>
<p>Langmaid and Turner’s ability to adapt quickly extends to their e-commerce and marketing strategies as well. Right now, they’re selling a few products online through a third-party website and in the future, they’d like to feature shoppable images on their site with links to products on their Design Collective page. Building their own e-commerce website just isn’t in the cards right now.</p>
<p>And while they’re using <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/5-free-marketing-tools-you-need-your-life" target="_blank">digital marketing tools </a>and social media, Langmaid and Turner want to focus more on live events and sponsorships where they can get in front of the clients they want to work with. This type of marketing builds relationships and encourages word-of-mouth referrals — the gold standard of marketing for Hudson & Crane.</p>
<p>But it may be their backgrounds in home staging that drives Hudson & Crane to success more than anything. Not long ago, Langmaid and Turner staged a condo for a building at the Wharf, just south of the National Mall along the southwest waterfront. That one model unit alone brought them business from a number of great clients that moved into the building and wanted to work with the designers who did the model.</p>
<p>“We’re trying to make working with a designer accessible and rewarding,” Langmaid says, “and I think that for the people that are finding us — whether it’s via our marketing efforts or organically — they think ‘Yeah, this is a great idea.’” </p>
<h2>Illuminations Inc. </h2>
<p><img alt="Illuminations" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="97788604-36ba-4d06-943f-8efc74f8b7ee" height="400" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/Illuminations.JPG" width="601" /></p>
<p>Retailers across the country know that what sells well in their own backyards may not do especially well in someone else’s on the other side of the country, state or even city. So when thinking about what sells well in Washington, D.C., images of Colonial-styled homes likely come to mind.</p>
<p>How about contemporary? Better yet, how about an entire showroom dedicated to contemporary lighting fixtures?</p>
<p>Located in a small 4,000-square-foot showroom just a few blocks from the National Mall, Illuminations Inc. may seem modest at first glance, but the showroom, which specializes in contemporary design, houses the sleekest, chicest and newest lighting fixtures for those curious enough to take a look. And that specialty makes it stand out from other lighting showrooms in the area.</p>
<p>“A lot of the people coming into the showroom come in here to see one fixture,” explains Lighting Designer Tess Leland. “They found it through the manufacturer’s website, and they found that we’re their retailer and they come to look at it.”</p>
<p>Though there’s plenty of foot traffic in the area, most clients come in having already done some homework on what they want, and the staff at Illuminations can help them in two ways. For customers who want just one fixture over a dining table or in the foyer, a sales associate on the showroom floor will guide the client from start to finish, recommending finishes and ensuring the right size is ordered. For those customers in need of a whole-home lighting design, <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/canadian-designers-talk-lighting" target="_blank">lighting designers</a> like Leland step in.</p>
<h4><strong>Designer Expertise</strong></h4>
<p>The lighting design team works with residential and commercial clients to design and install an entire lighting layout, and it takes a savvy designer to get the project just right. When a client comes on board, a lighting designer will visit the site or look at the plans, listen to what is needed and wanted and create a plan that meets as many needs and wants as possible. Designers need to be good listeners and think critically about the function and layout of the space. Clients depend on their expertise and often save themselves costly mistakes by hiring a professionally trained designer.</p>
<p>“Sometimes you want one thing,” Leland says, “but it’s not what you need and it just doesn’t reach that goal.”</p>
<figure role="group">
<img alt="Illuminations lighting" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9138d7e6-4b0b-4ac4-85b8-2bad253615f9" height="693" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/Illuminations-lighting.JPG" width="462" />
<figcaption>Though none of the fixtures have prices or manufacturer names on them, Lighting Designer Tess Leland says clients tend to gravitate toward one designer or another without knowing it. The showroom offers fixtures at a range of prices that meet clients at nearly every level.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Once the client agrees to the project, Leland and her fellow designers will start the design, drawing it up in autoCAD and, after approval, ordering the fixtures needed. The most challenging part of designing lighting plans in D.C.? Concrete ceilings, according to Leland. Newly constructed restaurants and apartments usually have concrete ceilings, which complicate the plan, but it’s nothing Leland and her team can’t handle.</p>
<p>With so much in-house design work, it would make sense for Illuminations to avoid working with interior designers and losing business, but the showroom does support a good amount of work from designers and architects. Lighting designs require more technical knowledge than many designers have, so they rely on Illuminations to work out a good lighting plan and get it installed correctly. Everyone leaves the showroom happy. And of course, some designers bring in clients who want to choose a fixture, and that business does well too.</p>
<h4><strong>Competing with Online</strong></h4>
<p>For all the ways Illuminations stands out, the showroom still struggles to compete with the allure of the internet. It used to be unusual for someone to come in to look at a fixture, look it up and <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/one-simple-way-curb-showrooming" target="_blank">buy it elsewhere online </a>and then call Illuminations asking for help, but Leland has seen it happen more often these days. She hears from customers that online sellers have the products in stock and will offer free shipping, but she knows better. None of the manufacturers that Illuminations works with stock products or offer free freight, but as she jokes, everything’s real on the internet. </p>
<p>That partnership with manufacturers makes up the foundation of Illuminations’ strategy against the internet. The showroom doesn’t sell online, but it uses real-world ways to combat the cyber world. In the showroom, none of the fixtures have prices or the manufacturer’s name <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/tagging-along" target="_blank">listed on the tag</a>. That stops some showrooming customers, but more than anything, it saves time spent changing fixture prices as many manufacturers change prices quickly and without a lot of notice. If asked, the staff will tell customers who made the fixture, but few ask.</p>
<p><img alt="Illuminations chandelier" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="077fd924-e134-4337-9113-28ab98cc7539" height="638" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/Illuminations-chandelier.JPG" width="425" /></p>
<p>Illuminations also doesn’t run sales, but that doesn’t mean the team isn’t monitoring price changes and other online sales. Leland keeps tabs on which manufacturer may be running a sale and tries to set prices accordingly. When someone does price match in store — and show a product on a reputable seller’s site — Illuminations will price match. But more than anything, the amount of work that goes into keeping up with the internet leaves the team feeling like they’re fighting an uphill battle.</p>
<p>“It’s a really slow struggle, and you have to make up a lot for what you’re losing,” Leland relates. “It’s a lot of time, and it’s kind of exhausting.”</p>
<p>In the fight to stay ahead of online retail, pricing can be one of the biggest factors to drive customers into showrooms. While Illuminations offers fixtures in nearly all price ranges, the showroom specializes in more high-end fixtures, with pendants costing between $500 and $1,000, and chandeliers, several thousands of dollars. With such an investment, customers feel more compelled to shop in-store and make sure they’re getting exactly what they want. </p>
<p>And it’s not only older, wealthier, less internet-loving clients that come in. Leland sees plenty of younger, established couples coming in to pick out fixtures. At the end of the day, Illuminations’ clients all want the same thing, and the talented people working in the showroom just want to give it to them.</p>
<p>“The space that you live in looks beautiful and makes you feel good, that’s all you need,” Leland believes. “You just want to feel good in your home."</p>
</div>
Wed, 15 May 2019 21:57:02 +0000kcaron3393 at http://www.furniturelightingdecor.com3 Strategies for Retail Customer Retentionhttp://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/3-strategies-retail-customer-retention
<span>3 Strategies for Retail Customer Retention</span>
<span><span lang="" about="http://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/user/826" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">kcaron</span></span>
<span>Tue, 05/14/2019 - 12:27</span>
<div class="field-type-text_with_summary"><p>Customer acquisition is important for any business — the more customers you have, the more products you’ll sell, right? Not necessarily. Even more important, and more cost-effective, than finding new customers is retaining existing ones. When a customer comes into your store, buys one thing and never returns, you miss out on the benefits of establishing a valuable long-term customer-retailer relationship that can be key to your success. So how exactly do you go about getting customers to keep coming back? We talked to retailers to find out their strategies. Here are three that stood out. </p>
<h2>1. Offer a mix of merchandise</h2>
<p>At Leon & Lulu in Clawson, MI, owner Mary Liz Curtin offers a wide range of products, from furniture and decorative accessories to clothing and gifts. She says customers can shop for their 5-year-old, put together their wardrobe for a trip to Europe and decorate their home, all in one <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/setting-scene" target="_blank">curated showroom</a>. </p>
<p>“It gives us an opportunity to have many reasons for people to visit, and what’s worked particularly well for us is when they’re ready to make a larger purchase, they already know and love us from the smaller purchases,” she says. </p>
<p>For Matter Brothers Furniture, with five locations across Florida, having a wide variety of <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/5-designs-contemporary-dining-rooms" target="_blank">decorative accessories</a> in stock gives sales a boost and keeps customers coming back frequently. </p>
<p>“We’re always a very heavily accessorized showroom, and it is a big part of our overall sales volume, as well as just our business strategy, to have a completely designed vignette, thoroughly accessorized,” says President John Matter. “I’ve had a lot of customers tell us that they were referred to us because we have such great and unique accessory products for their home.”</p>
<h2>2. Email marketing</h2>
<p>When it comes to retention through marketing, Curtin says Leon & Lulu’s most successful effort by far is its <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/3-tips-optimizing-marketing-emails-mobile" target="_blank">email marketing</a> program. Showroom staff collects emails at the point of purchase, and very few customers don’t want to be added to the email list. A newsletter goes out once a week, along with more customized emails based on previous purchases. </p>
<p>For example, she’ll send out an email to customers who have previously purchased a particular brand of clothing when they have new product from that brand in stock, and customers will fly into the showroom to be first in line to get it. They’ll also keep notes on customers and reach out when a new product comes in that might be a good fit based on their previous shopping history.</p>
<p>“It’s that personalization,” Curtin says, “it’s that chance to let them know that somebody is thinking about them and cares about what they want.”</p>
<h2>3. In-store events</h2>
<p>Making your showroom a destination for more than just shopping can be huge for retaining customers who are looking for fun things to do and want to see that you’re <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/how-turn-your-facebook-page-community" target="_blank">connected to the community</a>. Curtin said Leon & Lulu put on more than 80 events last year, ranging from charity events, girls nights out, book fairs, craft nights and design-focused nights. </p>
<p>At Matter Brothers, Matter said they recently put on a <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/4-tips-planning-showroom-event" target="_blank">successful event</a> with <em>Coastal Living</em>, which launched a new furniture line with Universal Furniture. At the event, the editor gave a presentation and guests enjoyed live music and shopped at pop-up stores from other local retailers. </p>
<p>Ultimately, giving your customers a unique in-store experience they can’t find online or anywhere else, and putting them first in-store and in your communications will keep them coming back. For Curtin, it’s all about making friends with her customers. </p>
<p>“We like them, they like us and we want to make friends and we want them to have a great time when they visit. And I think if you provide a wonderful experience, the dollars will follow.”</p>
</div>
Tue, 14 May 2019 17:27:01 +0000kcaron3383 at http://www.furniturelightingdecor.comCrafting the Connectionhttp://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/crafting-connection
<span>Crafting the Connection</span>
<span><span lang="" about="http://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/user/826" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">kcaron</span></span>
<span>Wed, 05/08/2019 - 15:06</span>
<div class="field-type-text_with_summary"><p>As an editor, it’s my job to ask questions and from the insights <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/how-make-storytelling-part-your-marketing-strategy" target="_blank">craft a story</a> that will connect with my audience. That’s in my job description. By trade, I’m a storyteller.</p>
<p>But so are you. As designers and retailers, you also share a story each time you connect with your customers. You share a piece of yourself when you design for a client or help a customer choose a sofa. The trick is, how do we make those stories stick? How do we leave a lasting impression?</p>
<p>In today’s digital world, storytelling seems easy. You have an opportunity to tell your story to potential clients, peers or suppliers with every blog, <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/make-instagram-work-your-business" target="_blank">Instagram post</a> or tweet you share. But are you making the connections? </p>
<p>With online retailers, it’s easy enough for consumers to order home furnishings without leaving the house. These platforms make it easy to buy and to return, and while they can share details about a product, they most often aren’t sharing the stories behind the products. In our experience economy, differentiation is key. For the consumer, it’s not as much about the piece of furniture itself as how that piece makes them feel. </p>
<p>At <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/high-point-market-busy-week-review?fbclid=IwAR3-Nu1q_cXspFwuyWsZ2miFMpiPWSTggq9TvAaLU4G65SgiZcFEPUF7tIE" target="_blank">High Point Market last month</a>, we walked many showrooms and were so impressed with the product styles and innovation. What showrooms were most memorable? If I learned of the inspiration behind a product or got to know a little about the designer, I felt connected. </p>
<p>In a couple of showrooms, <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/breaking-through-noise" target="_blank">written stories</a> accompanied each product and shared some of the personality behind them as well. Even if no one was there to attend to us, we were still able to read the stories and make a connection — table talkers that shared a <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/performance-factor" target="_blank">performance fabric</a>’s benefits in a fun way (no crying over spilt milk); clever names that personalized a light fixture and inspired a smile; or descriptions that depicted the inspiration behind abstract art or sculptural vases (dreamed up after a trip to the farmer’s market). Those showrooms begged to be wandered.</p>
<p>In this month’s feature, we talk about dining rooms and the impact of “top of the table;” how consumers are entertaining with the good china that Mom would have kept tucked away, only brought out on special occasions twice a year. It’s the stories behind those pieces that make them special, and today’s consumers are using them to add a storied layer to their entertaining. </p>
<p>We’re also telling the stories of our Showroom of the Year finalists. Learn how these retailers have elevated their businesses to achieve finalist status in the 10<sup>th</sup> Annual Showroom of the Year Awards. </p>
<p>Storytelling is important in business, whether it’s on the page, through digital means or face to face. A dining table is beautiful, but a dining table where the pedestal base was inspired by an antique bud vase makes an <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/how-use-instagram-stories-your-digital-marketing-strategy" target="_blank">emotional connection</a>. And if we can make those emotional connections, we have an edge. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Photo: <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/red-and-black-typewriter-997721/" target="_blank">Pexels</a> </p>
</div>
Wed, 08 May 2019 20:06:00 +0000kcaron3365 at http://www.furniturelightingdecor.comTramo@Home Opens Facility in San Franciscohttp://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/tramohome-opens-facility-san-francisco
<span>Tramo@Home Opens Facility in San Francisco</span>
<span><span lang="" about="http://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/user/826" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">kcaron</span></span>
<span>Tue, 04/30/2019 - 14:49</span>
<div class="field-type-text_with_summary"><p><a href="http://tramoathome.org/" target="_blank">Tramo@Home</a>, a luxury installation specialist and logistics company specializing in servicing design professionals, today announced the opening of its fourth U.S. facility in South San Francisco. Known as logistics and installation specialists, Tramo@Home’s newest South San Francisco location opens to service Northern California to the Central Valley design communities.</p>
<p>The new 57,000 square foot facility, specially designed and engineered with state of the art technology, has eight receiving docks and 7,000 square feet of temperature-controlled space.</p>
<p>All Tramo@Home nationwide facilities offer a full range of logistics solutions and installation services including receiving, storage and consolidation, photography studios and inventory management. Additional services include white glove delivery, furniture deluxing with minor touch up, packing and crating and shipping out to both domestic and international locations.</p>
<p>“We are very excited to announce our grand opening to the Northern California design community and we look forward to working with local design professionals," said Tramo@Home's President Aref Khosravi. "This new location expands our nationwide network. Providing an extensive array of logistic services and showcases is why we are known as installation industry leaders. The new South San Francisco facility adds to our ability to service our network and luxury design clients, while building stronger relationships with top industry brands. Strategically, we chose South San Francisco as our facility’s new home, for its proximity to San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Marin, while also being able to service the Central Valley. From our Los Angeles and South San Francisco locations, we are able to cover the state of California with prompt assistance, while having the flexibility to handle last minute requests. The combination of our proven history and success across the country ensures that the West Coast design community can trust our company’s concierge and installation services.”</p>
<p>Further explaining the secret behind the company’s success is the synergy between the Tramo@Home national facilities and the ability to communicate between branches or shuttle products between four locations. This continuous organic expansion of The Tramo Group is just one of several locations the company has planned for its U.S. expansion. </p>
<p>The company also announced that Rebecca Gold will be the General Manager of the South San Francisco location.</p>
<p>"With her industry knowledge, plus years of consolidated experience at Tramo@Home Los Angeles, Rebecca brings the Tramo know-how, in providing logistic solutions and support to lead our brand-new facility,” Khosravi said.</p>
</div>
Tue, 30 Apr 2019 19:49:26 +0000kcaron3343 at http://www.furniturelightingdecor.comA Game of Incheshttp://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/game-inches
<span property="schema:name">A Game of Inches</span>
<span rel="schema:author"><span lang="" about="http://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/user/826" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">kcaron</span></span>
<span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2019-04-24T19:08:13+00:00">Wed, 04/24/2019 - 14:08</span>
Wed, 24 Apr 2019 19:08:13 +0000kcaron3314 at http://www.furniturelightingdecor.comIdea Board: Made in Americahttp://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/idea-board-made-america
<span>Idea Board: Made in America</span>
<div class="field-type-text_with_summary"><h2>Home Court Advantage</h2>
<p><strong>Quality control, customization up the ante for U.S. furnishings manufacturers</strong></p>
<figure role="group">
<img alt="Gat Caperton" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6836932e-8028-4cf2-84b7-100ea9b6fca6" height="402" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/Gat-Caperton.jpeg" width="602" />
<figcaption>Gat Creek’s Gat Caperton assesses the sustainably harvested Appalachian hardwoods used in its U.S.-made furniture. </figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We’re makers, not middlemen,” says Gat Caperton, CEO of U.S. wood furniture maker Gat Creek, based in Berkeley Springs, WV. That sentiment seems to hold strong for a number of <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/made-post-globalized-america" target="_blank">U.S. home furnishings manufacturers</a>. </p>
<p>Beyond the emotional connection of keeping jobs in America and some consumer preferences for U.S.-made goods, there are practical advantages to keeping production here as well. Domestic manufacture allows for full control over process, materials, quality, customizability and <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/3-barriers-offering-speedy-shipping-and-what-you-can-do-about-them" target="_blank">delivery times</a>. </p>
<p>While these furnishings makers may bank on customers looking for made-in-the-USA, the more important consideration is the ability to actually give those customers exactly what they want. Producing here allows the flexibility to respond to the market quickly and customize at a customer’s request. </p>
<h5><strong>They’ve Got This</strong></h5>
<p>“The business has really changed,” Cameron Capel, President of Sales and Marketing for Capel, Inc., says. “There are very few brick-and-mortars that take in stock nowadays. The onus is really on the manufacturer.” </p>
<p>The rug company enjoys a 100-year-long history with its custom braided rug category, and Capel still makes its braided rugs in its Southeastern plants, including its original location in Troy, NC. </p>
<p>While certain construction styles — hand-knotting and tufting, for example — have taken some of the work offshore, production for the braided rugs division, for which the company is most known, remains here. “By making these rugs here, we’re completely vertical. We can control every step of the process,” Capel says. “My name is on every rug. It has to be done right and to the best of our ability.” </p>
<p>That ability to control the production process can result in better quality control as well as offering real-time flexibility to respond to customer demands. For <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/senators-introduce-new-upholstered-furniture-flammability-legislation" target="_blank">upholstered furniture</a> manufacturer Craftmaster, in Hiddenite, NC, the company’s foundation is based on its ability to provide customized products. Suzanne Henson, Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing, says customers can choose from more than 1,000 fabric styles, which can be applied to any piece of furniture. “If we need to make changes to new introductions, we can do that quickly and with the folks who will actually be building the furniture. There’s no middleman to loop in,” she says.</p>
<p> </p>
<figure role="group">
<img alt="Craftmaster upholsterers" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8cd38e04-5a9d-4a8e-bb54-a6dab4524fa8" height="373" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/Craftmaster-upholsterers.jpg" width="577" />
<figcaption>Craftmaster upholsterers on the job create custom pieces.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>George Moussa, President of Ambella Home, agrees that making its upholstered furniture here gives the company an edge in today’s market. Ambella Home started as an importer, and while it still brings in casegoods from overseas, with the <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/their-custom-how-retailers-meet-demand-personalized-design" target="_blank">custom nature</a> of the upholstery business, it made sense to move manufacturing to a facility in Archdale, NC, which the company has recently more than doubled in size — from 47,000 square feet to 108,000 square feet. </p>
<p>“We can control the quality of our products better,” Moussa says, but more importantly, he notes the ability to provide customization. “We are not a mass manufacturer. We cut one sofa at a time.” </p>
<p>That custom nature of its processes allows Ambella Home to go as far as creating upholstered pieces with customer-owned materials, a benefit to designers and retailers that wouldn’t be available if these products were mass-produced. </p>
<p>At Gat Creek, where all furnishings are also created one at a time from sustainable Appalachian hardwoods, the artisans sign and date each piece they produce. “We take a very personal approach to the production of our furniture, Caperton said. “We build everything to order. You can pick the wood, finish, hardware. We care about what we produce and how we produce it.” Using <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/sfc-highlights-green-furnishings-trends-new-consumer-study" target="_blank">sustainably harvested</a> local woods, for example, produces natural products that are healthy in the home and better for the environment, he adds. “We’re creating something that’s made to a higher, safer standard that consumers can trust.” </p>
<p>With customization as a key reason for domestic manufacture, product doesn’t arrive at the speed of Amazon Prime. However, many U.S. furniture producers adhere to pretty quick turnaround times — we’re talking weeks, not the months it may take for an overseas shipment — making their products even more appealing. </p>
<p>At Gat Creek, the company adheres to a 20-day production cycle. “Speed is important, but more important is consistency,” Caperton says. “Our customers get their products in the amount of time we tell them.” </p>
<p>Craftmaster’s Henson agrees that a quick turnaround time has enhanced the customer experience. “The fact that we’re domestic allows us to deliver custom items in typically four weeks or less,” she says. “Designers especially love our quick turnaround times since they know they can offer their customers a full custom experience without the long wait and hefty price tag.” </p>
<h5><strong>At the Heart</strong></h5>
<p>To deliver these outstanding lead times requires skilled labor and, in many cases, a substantial number of employees. For some of these companies, they are a primary employer in the towns they inhabit. Craftmaster employs 700 full-time employees and has had generations of families who have worked at the Alexander County, NC, plant. “One of the biggest advantages we see is being able to help support our community by providing good jobs,” Henson says, noting that Craftmaster is the largest private employer in the community. “With high standards and an amazing work ethic, it’s the American workers who really make the difference,” she continues.</p>
<p>Domestic skilled labor can result in higher expenses, but pride in workmanship makes the additional expense worth it, manufacturers agree. “What we’ve typically seen overseas is high turnover with the labor force,” Ambella Home’s Moussa notes. That’s not something the company contends with in its Archdale operation. </p>
<p> </p>
<figure role="group">
<img alt="Justice Design Group ceramics" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2bdc5561-6d11-44a0-a338-e61db7088752" height="631" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/Justice-Design-Group-ceramics.jpg" width="355" />
<figcaption> Ceramics finishing at Justice Design Group.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>While U.S. manufacturing companies tout the benefits of <a href="https://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/our-hometown" target="_blank">American-made</a>, the majority of home furnishings is produced overseas. According to Gat Creek’s Caperton, when he bought his business 23 years ago, 90 percent of wood furniture sold in the United States was made here, with 10 percent imported. Now, that number is more 90 percent imported with 10 percent still manufactured domestically, he says. </p>
<p>He sees a renaissance right now for American-made furniture, however. “Customers are enthusiastic and<br />
excited again,” Caperton says. “If you buy American, you’re investing in America. More and more people are appreciating that.”</p>
<h2>Any Way You Want It</h2>
<p><strong>Customization is a benefit of U.S.-made home furnishings. From finishes to fabric to size, these products can be configured myriad ways.</strong></p>
<p><img alt="Meyda Beer Garden chandelier" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="621a7517-d894-4fb5-9bda-70236a3949f2" height="489" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/Meyda-Beer-Garden-chandelier.jpg" width="444" /></p>
<p>Meyda’s 144-inch Beer Garden chandelier is designed with authentic beer bottle lighting. This oblong chandelier features 330 Amber glass beer bottles. Frame and hardware featured in a textured Black finish. Handmade in Yorkville, NY. Custom beer bottle colors, styles and sizes are available. <a href="https://www.meyda.com/newsite/index.asp" target="_blank">www.meyda.com</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img alt="Justice Design Group sconce" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8eb1d4f9-fc4f-4cc2-82ce-27f0ca74ca4e" height="439" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/Justice-Design-Group-sconce.jpg" width="384" /></p>
<p>Handcrafted in Los Angeles, this ceramic wall sconce from Justice Design Group features dedicated LED lamping and a dual-tone carbon Matte Black exterior and Champagne Gold interior finish. <a href="https://www.jdg.com/" target="_blank">www.jdg.com</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img alt="Ambella Home Cooper lounge chair" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b83e5c0b-eb76-4912-bf92-271597373d9d" height="523" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/Ambella-Home-Cooper-lounge-chair.jpg" width="374" /></p>
<p>This tall-backed Cooper lounge chair from Ambella Home is inspired by Mid-Century chairs of the 50s and 60s. Slim boxed arms flow into tailored wings. The seat cushion has a bull nose detail and is raised on a carved Beech base and tall tapered legs. <a href="https://www.ambellahome.com/" target="_blank">www.ambellahome.com</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img alt="Taylor King Taylor Made dining sectional banquette" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="712781c5-69d9-40e5-8c6f-f4af1bd7ea68" height="461" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/Taylor-King-Taylor-Made-dining-sectional-banquette.jpg" width="535" /></p>
<p>Taylor King has introduced this sectional banquette, a new casual option to its Taylor Made Dining program that can stand alone or pair with chairs. Customizable across all design elements: back style, arm style, leg style and fabric. <a href="http://www.taylorking.com/" target="_blank">www.taylorking.com</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img alt="Tempaper Soleil" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4469472b-5334-4712-af08-667292356592" height="393" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/Tempaper-Soleil.jpg" width="393" /></p>
<p>Inspired by Morocco’s colorful culture, Soleil, from the new Tile Collection from Tempaper, will bring viewers to far off places. Shown: Terracotta & Blue. Also available in Morrocan Spice. <a href="https://www.tempaperdesigns.com/" target="_blank">www.tempaperdesigns.com</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img alt="Gat Creek Tomlin console" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="eee9e619-1b8f-48cb-98fc-85fb33c957ba" height="508" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/Gat-Creek-Tomlin-console.jpg" width="339" /></p>
<p>Made with local, sustainably harvested Appalachian hardwood, the Tomlin console by Gat Creek is built to order. A catalyzed lacquer top coat forms a clear, protective barrier with a close-to-the-wood feel. Features hand-glazed Lambs Wool finish and Polished Nickel hardware. <a href="https://www.gatcreek.com/" target="_blank">www.gatcreek.com</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img alt="Craftmade Composite lantern" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0d92cfe3-5594-4da9-95c4-6e0a690e2f50" height="387" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/Craftmade-Composite-lantern.jpg" width="581" /></p>
<p>Craftmade’s Composite lanterns feature three styles molded of durable, non-corrosive UV-resistant resins, warrantied for five years. These lanterns can withstand harsh environments. <a href="https://www.craftmade.com/" target="_blank">www.craftmade.com</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img alt="Capel Garrison rug" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c32f8b17-247e-44ab-abc3-b1f820887c27" height="551" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/Capel-Garrison-rug.jpg" width="318" /></p>
<p>Anthony Baratta’s spin on a classic braid for Capel, Garrison is designed with an amiable aesthetic. Made from 95 percent wool and 5 percent other fibers, this rug is a reversible wool braid. <a href="https://www.capelrugs.com/" target="_blank">www.capelrugs.com</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img alt="2nd Ave Kahe pendant" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7b26cc0c-c1e6-4ac1-8378-2ed0849a7d4d" height="397" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/2nd-Ave-Kahe-pendant.jpg" width="361" /></p>
<p>The 72-inch-wide Kahe pendant’s shade reveals a Statuario Idalight diffuser. The shade is complemented with a ribbed band of saltire accents and hardware is featured in a Brass powder coat finish. Available in a wide range of custom choices. <a href="https://www.2ndave.com/2ndavewp/" target="_blank">www.2ndave.com</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img alt="Bradington Young Caroline lounger" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="70bce629-2b92-47c4-a630-f60abfce6cc3" height="410" src="https://sgcweb.s3.wasabisys.com/furniturelightingdecor/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bradington-Young-Caroline-lounger.jpg" width="378" /></p>
<p>Bradington-Young’s Caroline three-way lounger can be customized with more than 300 premium leathers, leather and fabric combinations or all fabric options, as well as an assortment of nail head and wood finish options. <a href="https://www.bradington-young.com/" target="_blank">www.bradington-young.com</a></p>
</div>
<span><span lang="" about="http://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/user/826" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">kcaron</span></span>
<span>Fri, 04/19/2019 - 11:28</span>
Fri, 19 Apr 2019 16:28:37 +0000kcaron3305 at http://www.furniturelightingdecor.comHow to Woo Generation Xhttp://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/how-woo-generation-x
<span property="schema:name">How to Woo Generation X</span>
<span rel="schema:author"><span lang="" about="http://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/user/826" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">kcaron</span></span>
<span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2019-04-17T21:28:24+00:00">Wed, 04/17/2019 - 16:28</span>
Wed, 17 Apr 2019 21:28:24 +0000kcaron3300 at http://www.furniturelightingdecor.comhttp://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/how-woo-generation-x#commentsRunning Wilderhttp://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/running-wilder
<span property="schema:name">Running Wilder</span>
<span rel="schema:author"><span lang="" about="http://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/user/826" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">kcaron</span></span>
<span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2019-04-17T19:20:06+00:00">Wed, 04/17/2019 - 14:20</span>
Wed, 17 Apr 2019 19:20:06 +0000kcaron3299 at http://www.furniturelightingdecor.comhttp://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/running-wilder#commentsHow to Prioritize Quality Over Quantity in Your Digital Strategyhttp://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/how-prioritize-quality-over-quantity-your-digital-strategy
<span property="schema:name">How to Prioritize Quality Over Quantity in Your Digital Strategy</span>
<span rel="schema:author"><span lang="" about="http://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/user/826" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">kcaron</span></span>
<span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2019-04-12T21:19:42+00:00">Fri, 04/12/2019 - 16:19</span>
Fri, 12 Apr 2019 21:19:42 +0000kcaron3290 at http://www.furniturelightingdecor.comhttp://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/how-prioritize-quality-over-quantity-your-digital-strategy#commentsTagging Alonghttp://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/tagging-along
<span property="schema:name">Tagging Along</span>
<span rel="schema:author"><span lang="" about="http://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/user/826" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">kcaron</span></span>
<span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2019-04-12T19:58:44+00:00">Fri, 04/12/2019 - 14:58</span>
Fri, 12 Apr 2019 19:58:44 +0000kcaron3289 at http://www.furniturelightingdecor.comhttp://www.furniturelightingdecor.com/tagging-along#comments